Five Reasons to be Excited About Colorado Buffaloes' Spring Football Camp

With official practices set to begin on March 2, the Colorado Buffaloes are now less than two weeks away from their fourth spring football camp under coach Deion Sanders.

Similar to last year, Colorado will use its 15 permitted spring practices, including an intrasquad game, to implement new concepts and get newcomers on the same page. Offensive coordinator Brenann Marion has an especially important month ahead as he looks to teach quarterback Julian "JuJu" Lewis and others his "Go-Go" system.

Reasons Excited Colorado Buffaloes Spring Football Camp Practice Deion Sanders Julian Lewis Brennan Marion Ernest Campbell CU — Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Joseph Williams (8) during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

"Everybody in this room is different," Marion said in a recent team meeting, per Thee Pregame Show. "Whether you know it or not, whether you believe it or not, you're different. That's why you're in this room."

Below are five reasons to get excited about Colorado's 2026 spring camp:

New Leaders on Defense

Things will play out more in spring camp, but linebackers Tyler Martinez and Gideon Lampron, safety Randon Fontenette and others all stand out as potential defensive leaders. Colorado lacked leadership on both sides of the ball last year, but that shouldn't be an issue in 2026 — at least on defense.

"I gotta be a leader," Lampron told DNVR Buffs after announcing his commitment. "I want to lead this team and be a strong voice and do everything I can to help this team win. But it doesn't mean you can't be a dawg too."

Julian Lewis' Development

Much of Colorado's offensive success will depend on Lewis' personal growth and how quickly he can learn Marion's offense. The redshirt freshman has all the physical tools to thrive at Colorado, but he'll need to maximize his first true full offseason to reach his potential.

"He's making tremendous progress, not only on the field, but off the field," Sanders told Thee Pregame Show last month.

First Look at Brennan Marion's Offense

Albeit in a spring game setting, Colorado fans will soon get their first in-person look at Marion's Go-Go offense. The innovative approach utilizes two-running back sets with the goals of getting everybody involved and causing defensive confusion.

New offensive weapons to watch this spring include wide receivers DeAndre Moore Jr., Danny Scudero and Ernest Campbell; running backs Richard Young and Damian Henderson II; and tight end Fisher Clements.

Ernest Campbell's Speed

Campbell's impressive speed has been a major storyline of the young offseason, as the Sacramento State transfer recently ran a 6.76-second 60-meter dash at a CU track meet — the ninth-fastest time in program history.

In Marion's offense last season, Campbell caught 37 passes for 755 yards and eight touchdowns.

MORE: Colorado Buffaloes Biggest Defensive Transfer Portal Addition

MORE: What Colorado Men's Basketball Proved in Near-Upset of BYU

MORE: Brett Favre Makes Feelings About Deion Sanders' NFL Career Clear

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE

Impact of a Healthy Deion Sanders

After spending last summer at his home in Texas battling bladder cancer, Sanders entered this offseason healthy and active in every facet of his program. An available "Coach Prime" should have a major impact on Colorado's ability to mesh in spring camp and beyond.